


A Triple Threat

by Impmon



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: camp camp adoption au, cc adoption au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-07 05:21:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11616747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impmon/pseuds/Impmon
Summary: When Max winds up in the adoption system for reasons yet unknown, David tries to get custody.





	1. The Formal Application

David sat anxiously. He was in the waiting room of the adoption agency. He had just filled out the formal application for the adoption process. The questions had been difficult to answer, and at times were very personal, but he filled them out and hadn’t once rethought his decision. 

Right now he was waiting for them to look it over and tell him if there were any major issues with his responses. They’d phone him again to tell him if he had passed if his answers seemed fine now. 

He looked up when the man at the front desk waved him over.

“Well,” He said, “your answers seemed pretty good. Nothing too out of the ordinary, you can expect our call within the next two weeks to let you know if you’ve passed this stage.” The man, Brian according to his name tag, leaned in and said “But I wouldn’t be too worried, people don’t usually fail this stage.” He winked at David and returned to his computer.

David nodded and walked out of the building and to his car. He knew that Brian was probably right, he knew what he was talking about, but David did worry.

He had to worry.

He worried from the moment he had heard that Max had entered the system, and had been bouncing from foster home to foster home with nobody keeping him long.

He knew that that was hard on a kid, he didn’t know what happened to Max’s family but he knew one thing. Max was never going to find a family at this rate. 

They didn’t understand that Max wasn’t a bad kid, they didn’t know the things that he needed, or that he was just afraid and lashing out. David knew these things, and David was going to fight for Max. He would keep fighting for Max until he had him in his care.

Because somebody fucking has to.


	2. The Homestudy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David has completed the formal application, but has he passed? Furthermore, if he has passed what comes next?

David had received the call twelve days after the meeting. He was washing dishes when the phone rang. After the usual formalities they gave him the good news and he dropped a plate in shock.

It had been a fine china set from his grandmother, worth a lot, but he didn’t care. Not when he was one step closer to his goals.

He went to the scheduled appointment where they did nothing short of drilling him with their questions.  
They were surprised to hear that he had a specific child in mind to adopt, as that didn’t happen often. They told him that there was a chance that he wouldn’t be a good match for Max.

David told them that he understood, but he had been Max’s camp counsellor for a few years and understood his specific needs better than anyone else that would adopt him. He told them that he knew that Max would be lashing out right now, and that he was sometimes violent and had a bad mouth but he was a really good kid and he was trying. Max was really trying but his foster families couldn’t see that because they didn’t know what to look for.

The woman who had been interviewing him nodded, she seemed pleased to David but he couldn’t know for sure.

She said to expect a social service worker to drop by his home sometime next week. David thanked her and left her office.

He was giddy and bouncing with glee once safely out of the building. He was going to do this. He was going to save Max.

David got inside and broke out the disinfectant. His house was already pretty clean, but it could always be cleaner. David lived in a decent sized home that he owned with three bedrooms. He used one as a guest room for when his parents or Gwen visited, and the other was always empty. He already had rooms for storage in the basement, and a dining room, a living room, multiple bathrooms, and an office space. He was going to give the third room to Max. 

The house was a little large for David’s preferences, Mr. Campbell had purchased it one night when he was drunk as a hide-out home. After he sobered he realized he’d used the general location before and couldn’t use it again, so he gave the deed to David. David was very grateful seeing as he lived in a small apartment with leaky windows before, not that it was a bad arrangement for David, but an upgrade was appreciated.

David swept the whole house, including the basement, wiped down the countertops and windowsills. He dusted the television and the book cases. He vacuumed his rugs, washed his cushion covers on the couch and loveseat, and he steam cleaned the wood floors. By the time he was done the house looked pretty much the exact same, as it hadn’t really needed a cleaning to begin with, but it helped to calm David’s nerves.

Yes, the social service worker will like this. What else will they like?

He went through his house deciding on what would be impressive and what wouldn’t. He replaced the burnt out lightbulbs in the basement, did all of the laundry he had let build up, he mowed the lawn, he polished the silverware, he got some child-safe locks from the dollar store and put them on the table “to be used later”. In actuality, David was never going to use them. Max was probably still ten. His birthday was in the summer, David was never able to celebrate it though, and it was still spring so, yeah, still ten. A ten year old didn’t need child safety locks.

David looked back at his work. He hoped this was enough.

A couple days later the social service worker came. They sat down, and David offered him a coffee. He refused, but requested a glass of water instead which David happily provided. 

“So, you work as a camp counsellor at ‘Camp Campbell’, correct?” Austin, the social service worker, had asked him.

“Yes, I was a co-counsellor with a woman named Gwen.” David smiled fondly.

“Ah, yes. How is your relationship with her? Do you communicate outside of work hours?” Austin asked him, jotting something down on his clipboard.

“Yes, she and I are friends. She comes and spends the night here when she has the time. She sleeps in the guest bedroom upstairs, of course. She’s in a relationship with a woman right now.” David said hurriedly, trying not to give Austin the wrong impression, “She has been really supportive throughout this process, and she has a degree in psychology, you know!” David said, proud of his friend.

“Does she? That’s great.” Austin wrote something down. “Your home is very clean, I can tell it’s always like this. In my line of business you learn the difference between a clean home, and a cleaned home. Having a clean home is very important. Can you show me where you’ll be keeping the child?” Austin asked.

“Oh, sure!” David grinned. He lead Austin upstairs to the third bedroom that was empty save for a bed with a cream comforter and pillow. “I know it’s empty, but I want Max to have complete control over how he decorates his room!” David smiled at Austin.

“Yes, I can see that. You’re very interested in Max. What will you do if you don’t get matched with him?” Austin asked.

“Well,” David looked back to the room. “I can’t stand the thought of Max being all alone. He’s a really good kid, you know. He seems mean, and he has a problem with authority, but I know how to take care of him. I don’t know if I’d be satisfied with a different child. I love kids, but taking one in when Max is out there? I don’t know.” David said. 

“I understand. I had a feeling you felt that was and I appreciate your honesty.” Austin said warmly, writing on his clipboard. That was beginning to make David nervous.

Austin asked him a few more questions, and David showed him the rest of his house. At the end of the study, as Austin was leaving he turned to David and asked him why he cared so much about this kid from his summer camp.

David looked Austin right in the eye and said: 

“Because somebody fucking has to.”


	3. The Final Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next stage in the adoption process

It had been six months. Six months.

Every day David would wake, and sit by the phone. He spent all day there, only moving when he absolutely needed to.

Gwen had broken up with her girlfriend at some point during this time, and was temporarily living with David. She was just there to make sure David ate and slept.

The day of Max’s eleventh birthday had been the hardest. David couldn’t stand the thought of Max spending his first birthday without his family in the system. Alone. Rejected. 

David has spent the better part of that day in tears with nobody but Gwen to comfort him.

Now he and Gwen sat together in his living room, Gwen reading some Young Adult novel, and David staring at the landline.

Staring. Staring. Staring.

When it started to ring for the first time in months David sat up in shock, momentarily forgetting what to do.

“Well? Answer it!” Gwen urged, and David clumsily fumbled with getting the receiver to his ear.

“Yes? Hello?” He asked.

“Hi, is this David?” The woman on the other end of the phone asked, he recognized the voice as the woman he had spoken to during the beginning of the homestudy.

“Yes! Yes, this is David!” He said quickly, waving Gwen to come and listen in and tilting the receiver so she could hear.

“Oh, good. We are delighted to inform you that you have been approved to be fit for adoption, and we are comfortable with you scheduling a visit to our facilities to meet some of the children and get an idea of who you’re interested in, though I’m sure you have that figured out, and then you can have a meeting with them. The child’s needs come first, of course, and we will determine if you’re right for the child, and the child is allowed input on whether or not they’re interested in you. Does that make sense?” She asked.

“Yes, yes one hundred percent. Am I allowed to bring a friend with me?” He asked, glancing at Gwen.

“Sure, if you think that would help. Have a good day!” She chirped.

“Yeah, you too!” He responded, unable to keep the excitement from bubbling into his voice.

He and Gwen looked at each other, both grinning. 

“You’re going to be a dad!” Gwen cheered.

“I’M GOING TO BE A DAD!” David yelled, jumping into the air, and pulling her into a hug.

“God, look at you, you’re all grown up.” Gwen teased.

“I couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you, Gwen!” David said, pulling away.

“Anytime, you big lug. Now, let’s go play some celebratory paintball!” She grinned.

“Yeah!” David said, pumping his fist into the air.

The next day David called the adoption agency, he told them that he and a friend were looking for an opening to look at some of the kids, and hopefully schedule a meeting with one of them. They told him that he could come in anytime the next weekend. David said he’d be in Saturday at three in the afternoon, remembering Max was not an early riser.

He spent most of the night sitting up with Gwen talking about how excited he was, and that he was going to take Max shopping for a better bedspread, and more clothes, and some games.  
Gwen listened, and offered input. Somehow they both had fallen asleep on the couch, two empty mugs of hot chocolate on the coffee table.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so nervous.” David said the next morning, worriedly, “What if we’re not a good match?” David said worriedly.

“Don’t be stupid, you’re the best person out there to take that psycho in.” Gwen joked.

David smiled a little, letting himself believe it. He was the best person for Max. But then a new worry crept in.

“Oh, but Gwen! What if Max doesn’t want to come home with me!” David said, looking up with tears pricking his eyes.

“Oh no, David. Don’t think like that. You know that shithead likes you, even if he tries to deny it. He’ll want to live with you. Knowing Max, he’ll probably be a bit stubborn, but a familiar face will be welcome in his situation.” Gwen said softly, smiling reassuringly.

“But, what if he’s already found a home?” David whispered. He felt awful about it because he wanted Max to be in a home and happy, but he also wanted that home to be with David. “Was that selfish?” 

“A little, but it’s good to be selfish sometimes.” Gwen reassured him. “And let's just be selfish for a while, and hope he doesn’t have a home yet, okay?”

“Okay.” He whispered again.

Gwen pulled David into a hug and he laid his head on hers, and they stood like that for a while. Stressing, fearing, but enjoying the support. 

“Gwen? This is… this is the right decision, right? It feels right, but can I be a good enough dad for him?” David asked suddenly.

“What? David you’ll be the best dad for him!” She said, leaning back to look him in the eye.

“How...how do you know?” David asked again, anxieties lacing his voice.

“Because,” Gwen smiled a little, “somebody fucking has to.”


	4. The Morning Of

It was the day Gwen and David would go the the Social Service worker’s, Austin’s, office where they had scheduled an appointment with the agency to meet with Max. 

“Gwen!” David yelled down the stairs to Gwen.”

“What!?” She yelled back.

“Have you seen my tie!?”

“No!” Gwen called back, climbing the stairs so she wouldn’t have to keep yelling. She met a worried looking David at the top, “Why do you even need your tie?”

“Because we’re seeing Max today!” David said like it wa the most obvious thing in the world.

“Okay, yeah, but you don’t have to make a good impression on Max. He already knows you.” Gwen raised an eyebrow. David frowned in response.

“But, I want him to know that I still care enough to make an effort. Don’t you?” He tilted his head a little.

He had Gwen there.

“Ugh, fine okay. I’ll help you look for your tie if you do my hair, then.” Gwen relented.

“Yes! Okay! I think it’s in my bedroom!” David said, grabbing Gwen’s hand and dragged her to the bedroom.

Gwen’s hand prickled when David grabbed it, but she brushed it off.

After a few minutes of looking, Gwen found it hanging in the closet.

“How did you even miss that?” Gwen asked, as she sat on the floor in front of David who was armed with hairspray, a brush, some pins and an elastic.

“I guess I was more nervous than I thought.” David admitted, smiling sheepishly.

‘Guess so.” Gwen laughed. “Hey, are you almost done up there? I’m getting sick of this.”

“Almost, almost. I just need to pin some hair back.” David said as he tugged her hair through the elastic. 

A few minutes later and a spritz or two with hairspray and she was done. David had done her hair into a braided halo.

Gwen admired her hair in David’s mirror.

“It looks great, thanks.” She smiled at him.

“Anything for my CBFL. Now let's go! We’re going to be late!” David said, charging down the stairs.

“David!” Gwen yelled after him, “We still have twenty minutes before we need to leave!  
“Late!” David yelled back.

Gwen heard the screen door slam shut and knew it was too late to stop him now.

That, and that she had to haul ass.

Gwen wasn’t out the door for another ten minutes. She had to grab her jacket, David’s jacket, her wallet, David’s wallet, and the car keys.

She found herself thinking fondly about how David was amazingly forgetful. 

She stepped out into the crisp coldness of October and into the even colder car. The heater hadn’t kicked in yet, making her incredibly grateful for her jacket. 

That in mind, she handed David his.

“Oh, thank you, Gwen!” David grinned at her, and tried to maneuver into his jacket without unbuckling. It took a few minutes but he eventually worked it out.

Not long after they were on the road. 

David chattered pointlessly about this and that, Gwen knew it was his nerves so she listened.

One thought was ever present in both of their minds, however.

“Somebody fucking has to”


	5. The Last Cut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very short, but I think it ties it together nicely. This is the last chapter of this story.

The air was thick and tasted stale. There was no ventilation in the office, unless you counted David's near-hyperventilating. He could not ruin this. He had to succeed, he had to be perfect, he had to do everything to make Max want to go with him.

He had a whole speech prepared, full of love and affirmations and promises. He could do this. He had this in the bag. 

David heard footsteps coming down the hallway, followed by a dark silhouette outside of the frosted window on the office door. He squirmed in his chair. This was it. He cast an anxious look at Gwen, who returned it. This was it.

The door opened and David and Gwen sat up straight. David’s eyes immediately flickered to the tall woman who was closing the door behind her, but they slowly trailed down to land on him. Max. He hadn’t grown much at all since the last time David had seen him, and still carried his tell-tale scowl but… he was different. He clung to his bear like it was the only thing keeping him together. Like it was the only thing stopping him from falling apart.

“Max, I-” David started, but found that he didn’t have any of the right words, after-all.

Max looked up just then. He looked at Gwen for a long time, and then looked at David. His eyes were harsh and gone was any innocence that might have previously existed. David’s heart broke a little. He almost looked away, but couldn't. He needed to see this.

“Take me home.” Max said.

And they did. 

Max was silent the whole drive home. He didn’t make eye contact, he didn’t speak, he didn’t give either David nor Gwen any indicators. All he did was stare at Mr. Honeynuts in his lap. David glanced back at Max, for the fifth time, anxiously. Gwen put a hand on his knee. 

David nodded and tried to relax. It would take some time, some attention, and some therapy, but Max would be okay. They would all be okay. 

“Why.” Max croaked suddenly, breaking the thick silence.

“Why what, Max?” Gwen asked, turning back to look at him.

Max glared with wet eyes. He squeezed his bear to his chest, defensively. “Why are you doing this?” He asked, accusatory.

Gwen and David smiled at eachother, briefly, before David looked back at the road. 

“Because,” They said in unison, echoing the words they’ve absorbed as gospel over these last few months. “Somebody fucking has to.”

And Max nodded. That was good enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, jeez. What a ride this has been! Finally finished one story though lmao


End file.
